Real Steam in Pakistan in the 21st Century. The metre gauge shed at the lines HQ, Mirpur Khas, On the left, YD 519 2-8-2 (Vulcan Foundry/1929), and on the right, YD 522 2-8-2 (Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway/1932).
The railway formed a part of the metre gauge Jodhpur Railway and originally extended as far west as Hyderabad which it reached in 1901. The stretch westwards from Mirpur Khas was converted to broad gauge several years ago. The metre gauge lines were separated from the Indian metre gauge system as a result of the partition in 1947. Through services ceased in 1965 during the Indo-Pakistan war that year and the stretch crossing the border east of Khokhrapar was lifted.
The line now exists primarily to serve the numerous army facilities along what remains a volatile border area. In 2004, Pakistani newspapers carried reports of a high level meeting between Pakistani and Indian officials about the proposed reopening of the line across the border. The Pakistani position was that the railway eastwards from Mirpur Khas needed complete reconstruction and should be rebuilt as a broad gauge line since the Pakistanis have no modern metre gauge equipment. They estimated that the work would take about two and a half years. The Indian position was that they could supply metre gauge equipment and diesels as needed to enable through trains to restart quickly – possibly as soon as September 2005.
In the meantime the railway remained something of a time capsule of how the Indian metre gauge must have been in the days of the British Raj. It is worked solely by BESA standard SP class 4-6-0’s designed in 1903, and by IRS standard YD class 2-8-2’s designed in the 1920’s.
Real Steam in Pakistan in the 21st Century. The metre gauge shed at the lines HQ, Mirpur Khas, On the left, YD 519 2-8-2 (Vulcan Foundry/1929), and on the right, YD 522 2-8-2 (Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway/1932).
The railway formed a part of the metre gauge Jodhpur Railway and originally extended as far west as Hyderabad which it reached in 1901. The stretch westwards from Mirpur Khas was converted to broad gauge several years ago. The metre gauge lines were separated from the Indian metre gauge system as a result of the partition in 1947. Through services ceased in 1965 during the Indo-Pakistan war that year and the stretch crossing the border east of Khokhrapar was lifted.
The line now exists primarily to serve the numerous army facilities along what remains a volatile border area. In 2004, Pakistani newspapers carried reports of a high level meeting between Pakistani and Indian officials about the proposed reopening of the line across the border. The Pakistani position was that the railway eastwards from Mirpur Khas needed complete reconstruction and should be rebuilt as a broad gauge line since the Pakistanis have no modern metre gauge equipment. They estimated that the work would take about two and a half years. The Indian position was that they could supply metre gauge equipment and diesels as needed to enable through trains to restart quickly – possibly as soon as September 2005.
In the meantime the railway remained something of a time capsule of how the Indian metre gauge must have been in the days of the British Raj. It is worked solely by BESA standard SP class 4-6-0’s designed in 1903, and by IRS standard YD class 2-8-2’s designed in the 1920’s.